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Matt Gaetz's primary opponent suggests he was the informant who sparked FBI's raid on Trump's resort
August 17, 2022 3:39PM ET
GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz's Republican primary opponent launched an ad accusing the Florida congressman of possibly being the informant who tipped off the FBI in their raid on Mar-a-Lago last week.
Mark Lombardo's 30-second ad, titled "Informant," hints that Gaetz played a role in the FBI's search for classified materials at Donald Trump's Palm Beach resort. The ad also claims that Trump hasn't seemed to be overly enthusiastic about endorsing Gaetz.
"When Donald Trump really endorses someone, he goes big," the ad states. "You've seen none of that for lying Matt Gaetz."
"What does Trump know?" the ad continues. "Is Gaetz the informant?"
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There is no evidence suggesting that Gaetz was involved in the FBI's investigation of Trump.
Speaking to Business Insider, a spokesperson for Gaetz said that Trump has indeed endorsed the GOP Rep.
"President Trump's son is campaigning for Congressman Gaetz in Pensacola on Monday. President Trump's 2020 finance chair just released a video endorsing Gaetz," the spokesman said. "Mark Lombardo is busy trying to please Resistance Liberals with plays from the Lincoln Project playbook. Congressman Gaetz is fighting for Florida and the Trump agenda."
Among the records seized during the unprecedented search of the home of a former president were documents marked "Top Secret," "Secret" and "Confidential."
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Trump, who is weighing another White House run in 2024, vehemently denounced the FBI raid and claimed that all of the material confiscated during the search had been previously "declassified."
The warrant to search Trump's home, which was personally approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland, directed the FBI to seize records "illegally possessed" in violation of three criminal statutes, including one falling under the Espionage Act, which makes it a crime to illegally obtain or retain national security information.
Trump claimed on Monday that FBI agents had seized his passports during the operation.
"Wow! In the raid by the FBI of Mar-a-Lago, they stole my three Passports (one expired), along with everything else," Trump said in a posting on his Truth Social platform. "This is an assault on a political opponent at a level never seen before in our Country. Third World!"
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In addition to investigations into his business practices, Trump faces legal scrutiny for his efforts to overturn the results of the November 2020 election, and for the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters.
Trump was impeached for a historic second time by the House after the Capitol riot -- he was charged with inciting an insurrection -- but was acquitted by the Senate.
Watch the ad below or at this link.
With additional reporting by AFP
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